Google Gears: Why It’s Important To You – Offline Web Browsers

When you are not connected to the Internet your web browser is no good, unless your running an application that’s PC based but simply using the web browser as a front end. In most cases, however, the web application you are using (email for example, sales force automation, etc) all rely on a server which you access through the Internet.
Without an Internet connection you can’t access the web application.
Google’s changing this and enabling developers to let their applications be used offline or online. What does this mean to you?
One of the big barriers for using online applications has been the problem of accessing your data and/or doing work when offline. Of course using a PC based application – this is not a problem.
All the power of the PC based application and data (in many cases) resides on the PC.
Google has create tools (available for anyone to use) Google Gears which will enabled web applications to be used when Internet connectivity is not available.
“With Google Gears we’re tackling a key limitation of the browser in order to make it a stronger platform for deploying all types of applications and enabling a better user experience in the cloud,” said Eric Schmidt, Chief Executive Officer of Google. “We believe strongly in the power of the community to stretch this new technology to the limits of what’s possible and ultimately emerge with an open standard that benefits everyone.”
Let’s wait a few days/weeks to see what applications evolve due to this new programming.
In fairness to other programmers, what Google is doing is not entirely new. But it’s definitely refreshed the market for offline web apps.
As you consider using hosted applications – the choice gets easier. If you are developing web applications – make sure they leverage the latest technology available.